The man heard the soft, shrill noise of a baby crying, in the adjoining room. He thought that his baby-son had been disturbed in his sleep. He went to the room and found that there was movement in the hammock. He started singing a lullaby and rocking the hammock. This went on for nearly ten minutes, when, to his amazement, a cat jumped out of the hammock and ran away. Within the hammock he saw that. the cat had nicely punctured the baby's feeding-bottle and emptied the milk that was in it (The mother had taken the baby out).

Into the foolish man's ears fall the sweet, soft words of endearment that his wife and children utter. He is highly pleased and engages himself in serving them. This goes on for a considerable time, before he discovers that it was not their love for him that made them behave sweetly towards him, but their own selfishness. Inside the hammock of the household which he is managing, he does not find the child of people really devoted to him, but the cat of selfish relatives, who had throughout been busy emptying the milk of his own life and giving out joyous exclamations at having found such a fool as he is!

Brother, look into the hammock. The cat will jump out of the hammock. Do not be duped. Mind your business-the practice of Sadhana to attain Self-realisation.

Jaisairam.

subhasriniOM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.

A poor Jalataranga player was enjoying music in his dilapidated house, when it began to rain. Through the leaky roof, water began to drop right on his head. But he was not at all perturbed. Immediately, he took one of the cups which he was so long using to play on, and put it on his head. The cup received the water; and he went on playing as before, till the rain stopped, when he removed the cup from his head, and played on.

The poverty-stricken Jalataranga player can be compared to a young man who is not richly endowed with spiritual Samskaras. The building in which he lives, viz., the body, is not strong enough to resist the forces of nature; energy leaks through its avenues. As a Brahmachari, he studies Vedas and the scriptures in the Gurukula. He is enjoying the intellectual understanding of the great spiritual Truths. But when he becomes a full-fledged youth, there is a heavy downpour of opportunities favourable for the senses to be preyed upon by the forces of nature. He is not led away from the right path. He discovers that among the Sastras that he has been studying there are some which prescribe the Grihasthashram for a young man of his temperament. Thus he gets married. Though it is like carrying the burden of a family, it saves him from greater danger. He continues the music of Sadhana in Grihasthashrama. When the rain of temptations for sensual enjoyment stops, he renounces the world, and then continues the music of Sadhana, without having to carry the burden of the family on his head. He is indeed a wise man.

Jaisairam.

subhasriniOM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.

The Koshakara bird lives inside the trunk of the tree. It bores a hole along the branch and builds its strong nest close to the bark. In order not to leave any room for invasion by any other creature, the bird goes on strengthening the nest on all sides, and leaves absolutely not a pin-hole in it! If it had left a hole it would get air to breathe. But since it is all blocked, for safety, the bird perishes inside.

Similarly, the Grihastha in his anxiety to shut out misery and pain, builds his nest of home and family, of his internal attitude to life, in such a way as to leave no room for any Vritti other than those of sense-indulgence (the material with which his cage is made), to enter his mind. If he had left one small hole of 'Vairagya' in this shell, he would breathe and be enabled to obtain food for the soul in due time. But since he does not allow even this, he perishes miserably within this hard and strong nest.

O man, even if you choose to enter the nest of Grihasthashrama, leave a little hole of 'Vairagya' in it, through which you can escape ' into the Wide World of God-realisation, when the time comes.

JAISAIRAM.

subhasriniOM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.

A beautiful Garuda was flying high up in the skies. Two birds sitting on the ground watched the Garuda soar into the sky and float majestically at an incredible height. The younger bird felt waves of despair rise in its heart. "What is the use of flying at all," it said to the other bird. "If we fly, we should fly like the Garuda. If we can't, it is better to burn away our wings. I am not going to fly at all hereafter." The older bird replied: "Brother, this is not the right attitude. We, too, have wings. And, we can fly. We should not yield to despair. Let us do what we can. There is beauty in that." Saying so, the older bird flew away. The younger one had not got over its dejection, when a hunter came along and easily caught it.

A saint is ever soaring into the Divine and floating in the transcendental regions of Divine Bliss. All people cannot do that. But everyone has been endowed by God with some good qualities and some talents. Wisdom lies in utilising them as much as you can. If you do not, you are likely to fall a prey to Tamas and sink lower in the ocean of Samsara.

JAISAIRAM.

subhasriniOM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.

Fifty blind men were sitting in a Dharmashala. They were born blind. They all wanted to go to a distant place of pilgrimage. Four other blind men came along and joined this group. They said they were also going to the same place. "Friends," said the leader of the fifty, "we are blind and cannot find our way to the sacred shrine. Will you be able lead us? Do your eyes see?" "Yes, my dear friends," replied the four, "we have heard a lot about the sacred city and the way to reach it. We have a clear mental picture of the route. Though we do not see it with our eyes, we are confident that we shall not only reach our destination, but lead you all there with us. Follow us." They tied one another with a long rope. The best one among the four led the way. He had a mental idea of the way, no doubt; it was not of much avail. He was misled. Soon he fell into a deep ravine. Bound to him, the other blind men, not knowing where he was leading them, also fell into the ditch, one by one. All of them perished.

Similar is the case with the masses today. They hear of the Land of perennial Bliss, the Land where Holiness and Divinity abound. But they know not the way. They are waiting to be led there. In the meantime a few other blind men arrive there. They have heard a lot about the Kingdom of God. They have great intellectual understanding. They think they know the way, and not only that, they can lead others also. They are the scientists and scientific philosophers. They promise to lead the masses to the Kingdom or Immortal Bliss. The credulous public follows them. These leaders have a great intellect, but no self-control and experience. They go where their cravings and Vasanas and desires lead them. They fall into a terrible ditch of sensuousness, of materialism, and perish. All their followers also perish. Follow the sages who have the eye of intuition and attain the Abode of Supreme Bliss.

JAISAIRAM.

subhasriniOM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.

Once upon a time, a man was passing through a jungle. He saw a monkey and was attracted to it.He called the monkey and to his surprise, the monkey came near him.

The man told the monkey that it was his ancestor and so they should cultivate friendship.With different kinds of gestures, he was able to establish friendship with it.

The man was just trying to kill time using the monkey as company while crossing the jungle.

Suddenly unexpectedly, a lion roared fiercely and pounced in front of them. They scarcely had time to escape. The monkey ran and the man followed suit. They found a very huge tree and soon climbed it. Though they were breathless, they did not stop until they climbed to a safe height.

The lion continued to prowl here and there, hoping to catch them when they climbed down. The lion was angry and hungry and awaiting his prey finally sat down under the tree.

The man was clinging to one of the strong branches, while the monkey was sitting on a branch with ease, as if nothing had happened.

After a prolonged wait, the lion lost patience and proposed to let one of them go scot-free if the other was offered to him as 'food'.

The man and the monkey consulted each other. They even offered to sacrifice their lives for each other, but ultimately concluded that they would live and die together.

The lion was disappointed, but not dissuaded. He continued his vigil. Nevertheless, the wait on the tree proved a testing time for both the monkey and the man.

They were feeling drowsy. They were both faced with the danger of falling down while dozing on the tree. Ultimately they decided to take turns to sleep.

The monkey would sit wide-awake while the man slept and the man would keep vigil while the monkey had his share of sleep.

As decided, it was the man's turn to sleep first, while the monkey kept guard. The monkey slept in the other half of the night, while the man held fort.

When the monkey was fast asleep, the man started contemplating. He thought that if he pushed away the sleeping monkey, the lion, as promised, would allow him to go scot-free.

Immediately, he translated his thoughts into action. The monkey was in deep slumber. The man pushed him down.

As the monkey was accustomed to such things, he immediately caught hold of the branches halfway and was back to his place in a moment.

Without uttering a single word, he went back to sleep as if nothing had happened. In the morning, the monkey led the man to safety. The lion was still on prowl under the tree.

When they reached at the safer place, the monkey made a special request to the man. "Please do not allege that monkeys are ancestors of mankind."

It happened once, in a police station; a Sufi mystic entered; he was naked, and a crowd was following him. To the police officer he said: I have been robbed. All that I had has been stolen, and as you can see, I am standing naked; my coat, my clothes, my bed, my quilt, my cushion, my pillow, my umbrella -- everything has been stolen; but he was very calm and quiet. The police officer wrote down the whole list -- it was very long.

And then suddenly there appeared a man who was following the crowd, and he threw an old blanket before the police officer, and he said: This is all, a wretched old blanket, that I have stolen from this man, and he is saying it was his whole world!

The Sufi took the blanket, covered his body, started moving out of the police station -- the police officer stopped him, he said: First you will have to give an explanation because you have given such a big list, it is false!

The man said: No? because this is all that I have.

When it is raining I use it as an umbrella. Sometimes I use it as a bed. And this is my only clothing. In the cold this is my coat. In the day I use it as a cushion. In the night, sometimes as a pillow. These are the functions of my blanket, but this is the whole world I have and the list is not false.

This is a deep message. The Sufi is saying that if you attain to one you attain to the whole. It is a parable. Then that one blanket covers all. It becomes your umbrella, it becomes your bed, it becomes your clothing, it serves you in millions of ways. Just to know that one which is hidden behind you is to know all. To know that, to be that, is to be all. And if you miss that you have been robbed of the whole world. You have nothing, you are standing naked.

A man went into a park. All the cement benches were occupied. He was tired and wanted a little rest. None of the occupants of the benches seemed inclined to vacate them. He thought of the best plan. He moved towards the corner of the park and started looking up, pretending to be wonder-struck at the sight. Thus he created eagerness in the four people, occupying the nearest bench, to see what astonished him. Drawn by the curiosity, they left the bench and came near him. As soon as they were near him, he turned round and went straight to the bench and stretched himself on it comfortably. Before they could find out what it was that he saw, he had settled down to a nice sleep. The four fools argued for a long time as to what he saw, but could not come to the correct conclusion.

This is what happens to many people in the world. Frequently a scientist or a politician springs up. He wants to lead a comfortable life with a good name and fame, power and position. He is intelligent; he finds that the common man is a fool who could be easily deceived. This scientist or politician pretends that he has discovered something astounding. People gather around him and worry themselves over his discovery. They enter into endless controversies among themselves over the nature of his discovery; while he himself settles himself down with a fat bank account, roaring fame, all comforts and conveniences.

O fool, be not deceived by the pretender. Approach the sage of true wisdom. He will enlighten you and lead you to the goal, Eternal Bliss and Perennial Peace.

JAI SAI RAM!

subhasriniOM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.

A millionaire wanted to send an urgent message to another rich man living in a neighbouring town. He called his best clerk and handed him the message saying: "Please take this urgently to my friend." The messenger delivers the message to the other rich man. This haughty rich man accepts the message and indifferently tells the messenger: "I hope you have had your food; if you haven't, take this fruit and get away." The messenger was deeply hurt. He goes away. A poor man on the way meets the messenger and with great love and solicitude offers a glass of cool water. The messenger is greatly pleased and refreshes himself with the water. The messenger reports the whole matter to the master who, realising that the insult heaped upon his messenger was verily insult to his own person, looks with disfavour upon the rich man who thenceforward lives estranged from the millionaire. The poor man is amply rewarded.

Similarly, God sends mankind His Messengers in the form of saints and sages. They come to the earth with the message of hope, of joy, of immortality. The haughty man filled with the pride of wealth, position and power, builds an Ashram for the saint or donates lakhs of rupees for the saint's mission;-but all these tainted by arrogance, Ahamkara and Abhimana. This does not please the saint. A poor man, on the other hand offers the saint a flower, a fruit or just water; and with it, he offers his heart to the saint. The saint is well pleased with him. Through the saint the Lord knows the comparative merits of the rich man and the poor one. He punishes the arrogant rich man and rewards the devout poor man. What matters is Bhava, the feeling; quality, not quantity.

JAI SAI RAM!

subhasriniOM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.

Once there lived a coward who had a great desire to present himself before the eyes of the public as a great devotee of Lord Narasimha. He had neither courage nor wisdom; neither devotion nor sincerity. He went to a tattooer to get tattooed on his back the figure of Lord Narasimha. Thereby he thought that people would take him for a staunch devotee.

The tattooer began his work calmly. Within a couple of minutes, the coward, unable to bear the pin-pricks, and obsessed by the fearful thought that a lively Narasimha is coming to sit on his back, tremblingly asked, "Which portion of the Lord are you tattooing?" The tattooer replied that he was just beginning with the legs. The coward said, "Sir, the leg of the Lord gives very much pain. Pray, I don't want His legs. Please tattoo some other part of the Lord." The tattooer again started with the hands of the Lord and the coward replied in the same old way. Then the tattooer began with the head and when he announced it, the very thought of Lord Narasimha's head made the coward tremble violently, and he at once ran away crying aloud, "Lord Narasimha has been pleased with me. He has taken his seat on my back. Look, O men. Look, how great a devotee I am." The people saw on his back a few awkward scratchings made by the tattooer and mocked at the coward, and pitied his folly and ignorance.

The world is full of pseudo-Jnanins, pseudo-Vedantins, pseudo-Yogins. These persons are cowards, but they want to pose for great Yogins and Bhaktas. They do not possess the will to submit themselves to a Guru and learn patiently what the Guru teaches. They cannot face the obstacles in the spiritual path. They just catch a word or two that comes from the Guru's mouth and go about preaching the public under the impression that they have become realised persons. They are just like the coward who thought that Lord Narasimha has taken His abode on his back.

O man! Submit yourself wholeheartedly to a Guru. He will write a full ineffable picture of the Lord in your mind. Even without your exhibiting it, the public will come to know about the worth of that painting. Bear in mind that you shall have to face the obstacles and overcome them.

Be bold. Be courageous. Be patient. Be earnest.

JAI SAI RAM!

subhasriniOM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.

Once upon a time there lived a certain Brahmanishtha Guru. He was fully immersed in enlightening all humanity with his intuitive knowledge and experience, through all possible means, through delivering sermons, writing books, giving counsels, etc. He employed a certain disciple of his to take down notes, and compile the books. In course of time, the disciple virtually became a gramophone record, always repeating the words and expressions of the Guru. In so doing, he was puffed up with vanity and pride. He went about telling, "What does the Guru know? I remember by heart so many things. I can quote all the scriptures. I am a full-fledged Jnani who knows everything." In short, he became a renegade.

At one time, one of the Guru's devotees was bereaved of a family member. The Guru pitched upon that renegade-disciple and asked him to condole for the bereaved family. The disciple duly went to the bereaved family and began in right earnest to deliver a Vedantic sermon. It all looked like a deaf man referring to cross-purposes. The inmates of the house were still putting on a sad face. All on a sudden, the Guru appeared in person before them. His very presence made them cheerful and happy and forget the loss of the member of their family. The Guru spoke but a word or two; and all of them were instantaneously transformed.

Remember the Kenopanishad, "Which one cannot think with the mind; by which the mind is known" etc.

Intellectual and theoretical philosophers live in vain in this world. They are of no use to humanity. Their talks do fall on the ears of the public like the Vedantic sermon given by the disciple to the bereaved family.

Can the moon say that it shines by its own light, that it helps you with its own light, that its light is superior to that of the sun? When the sun rises, the truth of the greatness of moon's light is plainly known.

So too where there is intuitive experience and knowledge, knowledge arising by itself in an experiencing heart, of what use is the knowledge of the brain?

Sages and saints and men of realisation live to enlighten all humanity. Even if they keep quiet, their very presence is able to transform all humanity, whereas a dry intellect cannot enlighten even one individual.

O man! Forget your intellectual attainments. The knowledge that you possess is not yours, but it belongs to the Lord. Acknowledge His superiority and submit to His will.

JAI SAI RAM!

subhasriniOM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.

There once lived a young handsome youth who was proverbially good to all. He never did an act, either directly or indirectly, detrimental to human progress and good. Once he went about on a tour. On his way, he met a beautiful girl and immediately fell in love with her. She, too, did not object to it. Without much delay and deliberations, the young man returned to his house with the girl. But, prior to the date fixed for marriage, the young man learnt all about the girl's love for some other youth, as evinced by her through her actions. Without hesitation, he got her married to that man. A year passed by. The girl was about to forget the kindness of the good-natured youth. The youth, taking the help of a magician gave the girl a certain drug in the form of sweetmeat, on taking which she developed hatred for her husband; and abandoning him, returned to the good-natured youth. Thenceforth, they lived a happy life till the end of their life.

God and Guru are synonymous. They are comparable to the good-natured youth. All things that they do are always for the good of the individual and the universe.

The youth picking the girl is like God or the Guru choosing the disciple from the world.

The girl's love for another man is akin to the devotee's or disciple's love for earthly things. God and Guru allow it in the case of their beloved devotee and disciple. But when the individual is about to forget God or Guru, they through their mysterious spiritual powers (comparable to the magician's drug) turn the mind of the individual from all earthly objects and take him to their own respective abodes.

Their act of diverting the individual from worldly pursuits is transcendental, unquestionable. But, it is for the great good of the individual.

JAI SAI RAM!

subhasriniOM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.

Once upon a time there lived a Brahmanishtha Guru with a certain disciple of his. They were both living in one and the same Kutir. The disciple duly studied and mastered the various scriptures. He also served the Guru day and night.

His proximity with the Guru made him think that he was the only beloved disciple of the Guru. This further led him to believe that the other disciples, who were wandering hither and thither all through the year and occasionally visited the Guru, were not truly devoted to the Guru. All that only strengthened his ego.

One wintry night, the disciple returned to the Kutir after finishing some outdoor work. He heard the voice of another disciple, an occasional visitor, inside the Kutir. He knocked at the door. The Guru asked, "Who is that?" The disciple replied, as usual, "It is I, please open the door."

The Guru replied, "I am enjoying a well-cooked feast. There is no room for a second one in my feast."

The disciple misunderstood the Guru. He thought he was belittled and insulted before an occasional visiting Gurubhai, almost a stranger for all practical purposes. So, being annoyed and offended, he left the place immediately and went about wandering aimlessly.

As days rolled by, his heart, mind and ego got thoroughly burnt by the fire of separation from the Guru. His heart and mind, his very being as well, were cooked well by the fire of Viraha (separation). He forgot himself and went almost mad with Guru-Bhakti.

One day, all on a sudden, he rushed towards the Guru's Kutir and kept on knocking at the door aloud: "Gurudev, Gurudev" in a rich love-laden tone. That very sound drowned even the Guru's usual and formal question, "Who is that?" His mind was filled with the presence of his Gurudev alone. He was blind to everything, nay, neither he nor the universe existed for him; only the Guru existed.

The Guru knew well the voice of his disciple. He could no longer wait. He, too, rushed out and affectionately embraced the disciple, saying "I am now enjoying a well-cooked feast. There is no room for a second one in my feast."

God is omnipresent and non-dual. There is no room for a second one to exist by Him. There is no room for that little self of man in this vast universe.

As long as the little ego persists, you, too, should be wandering in the dark, undergoing all hardships like the proud disciple. In that state your being religious, your visiting temples and places of worship, your observing austerities - all those things cannot make you the beloved of God.

You should have Ananya-Bhakti, love of God for God's sake. Mere service of God with the thought "I am serving God" cannot become Ananya-Bhakti.

When your ego is consumed by the fire of Viraha, when your heart and mind are well cooked in that fire, nay, when your love for God is well cooked over the fire of separation, and becomes delicious and palatable to Him, when, in that state, neither you nor this universe exist to you, but only He exists filling your heart and mind, then and then alone, will you become the beloved of God. He will then rush towards you and embrace you like the Guru embracing the disciple.

Then both of you will enjoy a well-cooked feast at which there will be no room for a second one.

Kill the little self and say: "O Lord! All this is Thy Own Self"

JAI SAI RAM!

subhasriniOM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.

One day the Lord Vishnu was sitting in a deep cave within a far mountain meditating with his disciple. Upon the completion of the meditation the disciple was so moved that he prostrated himself at Vishnu's feet and begged to be able to perform some service for his Lord in gratitude. Vishnu smiled and shook his head, "It will be most difficult for you to repay me in actions for what I have just given you freely." "Please Lord," the disciple said, "allow me the grace of serving you." "Very well," Vishnu relented, "I would like a nice cool cup of water." "At once Lord," the disciple said, and he ran down the mountain singing in joy.

After a while he came to a small house at the edge of a beautiful valley and knocked at the door. "May I please have a cool cup of water for my Master," he called. "We are wandering sannyasins and have no home on this earth." A wondrous maiden answered his call, and looked at him with undisguised adoration. "Ah," she whispered, "you must serve that holy saint upon the far mountain. Please, Good sir, enter my house and bestow your blessing therein." "Forgive my rudeness," he answered, "but I am in haste.

must return to my Master with his water immediately." "Surely, just your blessing won't upset him. After all he is a great holy man, and as his disciple you are obligated to help those of us who are less fortunate. Please," she repeated, "just your blessing for my humble house. It is such an honor to have you here and to be enabled to serve the Lord through you."

So the story goes, he relented, and entered the house and blessed all therein. And then it was time for dinner, and he was persuaded to stay and further the blessing by partaking of her food (thereby making it also holy), and since it was so late -- and so far back to the mountain, and he might slip in the dark and spill the water -- he was persuaded to sleep there that night and get an early start in the morning. But in the morning, the cows were in pain because there was no one to help her milk them, and if he could just help her this once (after all, cows are sacred to the Lord Krishna, and should not be in pain) it would be so wondrous.

And days became weeks, and still he remained. They were married, and had numerous children. He worked the land well and brought forth good harvests. He purchased more land and put it under cultivation, and soon his neighbors looked to him for advice and help, and he gave it freely. His family prospered. Temples were built through his effort, schools and hospitals replaced the jungle, and the valley became a jewel upon the earth.

Harmony prevailed where only wilderness had been, and many flocked to the valley as news of its prosperity and peace spread throughout the land. There was no poverty or disease there, and all men sang their praises to God as they worked. He watched his children grow and have their own children, and it was good.

One day as an old man, as he stood upon a low hill facing the valley, he thought of all that had transpired since he had arrived: farms and happy prosperity as far as the eye could see. And he was pleased.

Suddenly there was a great tidal wave, and as he watched, it flooded the whole valley, and in an instant all was gone. Wife, children, farms, schools, neighbors -- all gone. He stared, bewildered, at the holocaust that spread before him.

And then he saw riding upon the face of the waters his Master, Vishnu, who looked at him and smiled sadly, and said, "I'm still waiting for my water!"

This is the story of man. This is what has happened to everybody. We have completely forgotten why we are here, why we came in the first place, what to learn, what to earn, what to know, who we are and from whence and to where, what is our source and the cause of our journey into life, into body, in the world, and what we have attained up to now. And if a tidal wave comes -- and it is going to come, it always comes; its name is death -- all will be gone: children, family, name, fame, money, power, prestige.

All will be gone in a single moment and you will be left alone, utterly alone. All that you had done will be undone by the tidal wave. All that you had worked for will prove nothing but a dream, and your hands and your heart will be empty. And you will have to face the Lord, you will have to face existence.

Two men are standing on a rock in an ocean, away from the shore. It is getting dark. Clouds are gathering in the sky. Even a sight of the shore is lost. Waves are lashing on the rock. The ocean is getting turbulent.

In that darkness a man appears before them. "Come with me, I shall take you to the shore," he says.

The wise man readily follows him.

But the fool questions: "How will you take us across the waters?"

"I have got a boat with me," says the newcomer.

"I am ready to come with you," says the wise man.

"No, I won't come," says the fool; "suppose the boat is defective or the man is a dacoit?"

The wise man gets into the boat and safely reaches the shore, guided by the boatman. The fool is quickly swallowed up by the rising waves of the ocean.

Floating along in this ocean of Samsara, the Jiva, after great struggle, gets this boon of a human birth. The other shore of safety has not yet been reached. Time is fleeting. The evening of life has set in. Eye-sight is lost. The eye of wisdom is blinded by the gathering clouds of materialism and disharmony. Perplexed and prayerful the man stands on the rock of individual life.

The Guru comes to him with the boat of the Lord's Name or of Bhakti. He beckons man to follow him and get into the boat and thus safely cross over to the shore. The wise man readily does so. But the fool has a thousand doubts and a million misgivings. He questions the bona fides of the Guru, and the validity of Bhakti. Very soon he is once again swallowed up in the huge ocean of Samsara; and, sunk in it, he has lost the greatest opportunity of saving himself, given to him by God.

JAI SAI RAM!

subhasriniOM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.